BAU Correspondent :
The 53rd foundation anniversary of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) was observed in the University campus in a befitting manner on Monday. BAU was established on 18th August in 1961 as the only university of its kind in Bangladesh upon the recommendation of national education commission and food and agriculture commission in 1959.
The scheme for the establishment of BAU was finalized on 8 June 1961 and its ordinance was promulgated on 18 August 1961. With the appointment of its first Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr M Osman Goni, the university formally came into existence on 2 September 1961 and started functioning with the College of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science at Mymensingh as its nucleus.
The campus, with an area of 1200 acres of land, is made up of a series of academic, administrative and residential buildings and experimental farms, gardens and other related facilities.
The university is in scenic rural surroundings on the western bank of the old Brahmaputra River, 4 km south of the district town of Mymensingh and 120 km north from Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. BAU has 44 departments under 6 faculties covering all aspects of agricultural education and research. Besides, two national research institutes, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI)are housed in this campus.
The university started its journey with veterinary and agricultural faculties.
After several months of establishment another faculty named animal husbandry was added to academics. Among other faculties agricultural economics and rural sociology in 1963-64 session, agricultural engineering and technology in 1964-65 session and fisheries in 1967-68 session began their journey.
1976 BAU established Graduate Training Institutre (GTI) to make line between teaching, research and extension.
BAU’s unparalleled research in agriculture has made it very recognized university in whole ASIA continent. Researchers of the university are working for the agricultural development including both invention and improvement of high yielding varieties, agricultural production techniques and technologies.
The research is conducted through BAU Research System (BAURES). BAU Extension Center (BAUEC) works for the extension of the research findings to the farmers.
The only world recognized botanical garden of Bangladesh, agricultural museum and the only fish museum and biodiversity center of south-east Asia situated on the campus which are used as the learning research purposes.
Besides performing academics, students attend extracurricular and leadership building activities of through different cultural and voluntary organizations which makes the university in a ‘center of excellence’.
This higher education institute for agricultural study and research covers all the sectors of agricultural production. The university teachers and graduates are destined to ensure the food security for the people of the country.
